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Northern Reckoning
=TIME & CALENDARS = NORTHERN RECKONING The calendar and method of timekeeping used by the whole of the Northern Realms, except for the city of Waterdeep (which uses the Calendar of Harptos). Years are reckoned in three time periods: Before the Dragon (BD), Year of the Dragon (YD) and After the Dragon (AD). The current year is 737 AD. The following are the seven days of the week: 1. Morndas 2. Tirdas 3. Middas 4. Turdas 5. Fredas 6. Loredas 7. Sundas The following are the twelve months in a year. Each alternates between 31 and 30 days, except the second month, which has 28 (29 every four years). 1. Morning Star 2. Sun’s Dawn 3. First Seed 4. Rain’s Hand 5. Second Seed 6. Mid Year 7. Sun’s Height 8. Last Seed 9. Hearthfire 10. Frost Fall 11. Sun’s Dusk 12. Evening Star Holidays There are a number of different holidays that are celebrated throughout the North during the year. Morning Star 01: New Life Festival. A celebration of the new year. It is tradition in taverns across the North to celebrate with free ale. New Life is celebrated on the 25th of Evening Star in Waterdeep. 02: Scour Day. A strictly Arendell holiday; originally the day when people cleaned up after the New Life Fesitval, but it’s become a party of its own. Usually celebrated outdoors by a massive bonfire. 12: Ovank’a is celebrated. Prayers are offered to the gods for a mild and merciful year. 15: South Wind’s Prayer. A holiday that is taken very seriously in the North. It is a plea to the gods for a good planting season. Citizens with every known affliction flock to the services in every temple, as the clergies are known to perform free healing on this day. 18: Waking Day. One of the oldest Northern holidays, it oversees the waking of spirits of nature after winter; the modern day ceremony is very close to the ancient tradition. Sun’s Dawn 02: Mad Pelagius Day. An uproarious party celebrating the Mad St. Pelagius, who has become something of a folk hero to many throughout the North. Involves a tradition where a groundhog’s shadow could predict the length of winter. 05: Othroktide. Held in honor of the mighty folk hero Othrok, a figure from ancient tales. A tournament is held annually on this day in Temeria. 08: Day of Release. Celebrated as the day a Scandivar King was driven out of the capital of Temeria. 14: Heart’s Day. Basically Valentine’s Day. A carryover from the Calendar of Harptos). 27: Perseverance Day. Mostly a solemn Kovir holiday, it has become a day in which to honor soldiers who have died in service to their kingdoms. 28: Aduros. An ancient fertility festival. It was essentially a massive town-wide orgy in ancient days. Since the days of the Empire, however, the holiday has turned into a solemn, modest affair usually celebrated with the hanging of pine branches over the beds of married couples. First Seed 07: First Planting. A time to set aside past differences and begin anew. Debtors will occasionally forgive their debts on this day. Every year, the King of Redania traditionally pardons one convict on death row. 09: Day of Waiting. Every year, at this time, vengeful and evil spirits are supposed to come out of the desert and devour the wicked, so everyone locks themselves up somewhere and leave a bowl of cream at their doorsteps to appease them. 25: Flower Day. One of the oldest celebrations in the North and is especially popular throughout Rivia. Flowers are planted and a bouquet is traditionally given to one’s wives or betrothed. 27: Festival of Blades. Originally an Unther holiday, which was to celebrate Uthric victory over Southern Corsairs. It is often celebrated throughout the southern regions of the Nine Kingdoms. Dueling Tournaments are held in most cities on this day. 31: Hogithum. A day to pray to the gods for guidance. Due to ancient omens and portents, it is widely believed that the gods are more willing to help mortals on this day. Rain’s Hand 01: Gartide. Very similar to Flower Day; celebrated almost exclusively by Poviss and Arendell (who does not traditionally celebrate Flower Day due to the 27th of First Seed marking the death of a popular king centuries ago). 13: Day of the Dead. A holiday that celebrates a form of ancestor worship. Participants paint their faces or wear masks, and traditionally dance around campfires, light candles and leave offerings and gifts at shrines to honor the dead. 20: Day of Shame. Celebrated mostly in coastal areas. During this day, nobody leaves their house, for it is said that the Crimson Ship, a vessel filled with victims of the Dragon Plague, will return. It is tradition to light a single red candle by one’s Hearth. 28: Jester’s Day. On this day, it is traditional to play a prank or joke on someone else. The Carnival of Fools is held on this day, which is a day of drunken revelry, where the bumbling fools are honored and the ugly are celebrated. Second Seed 03: Rite of Vigyld. A holiday celebrated exclusively by Arendell. This is a warrior’s holiday and marks the Chosen of Vigyld, an ancient huntsman who is believed to watch over the men of Arendell. Those who pass this ancient rite receive a tattoo of the Mark of Vigyld and are considered the wisest and most skilled warriors in the Kingdom. 07: Second Planting. It is a holiday with traditions similar to first planting, but instead focuses on symbolically improving the soul. The free clinics of the temple are open for the second and last time for the year, offering cures for those suffering any kind of affliction or disease. Because peace, not conflict, is stressed during this time, priests will heal all injuries sustained in combat on this day. Battles are never fought on this day, even between kingdoms. If a battle wages on the 6th, the fighting stops during the 7th and soldiers are sometimes even said to share a drink with one another. 10: Hunter’s Day. This holiday is traditionally held to honor the birth of the ancient Huntsman from the old tales, which is widely believed to have been this day. In Arendell, the celebration is particularly rowdy and an annual Great Hunt is held on this day. 22: Fire Festival. A holiday that stems from worship of the Church of the Eternal Flame, massive bonfires are lit across the Northern Realms where people ask the gods for protection in the coming year from the horrors that lurk in the night. The sacrifice of a goat, a lamb or a bull is common. 30: Fishing Day. A day where fishermen of all colors and nationalities celebrate and are celebrated. Mid Year 01: Sol’s Day. A holiday on which ancient men of the North worshipped the sun. The practice of sun worship itself has fallen out of fashion, but it is still tradition to wear yellow on this day or be pinched. 16: Mid Year Celebration. A three day festival kicking off on this day, the Mid Year Celebration is a time of celebrating safety, harvests and otherwise survival through half the year. The gods are honored and festival, carnivals, tournaments, minstrel shows and other revelries are held in every village, town and city across the North. 23: Dancing Day. A day in which large dances are held in rural areas. In the cities, massive Dance Competitions (an already popular pastime in the North) are held in ballrooms on noble estates, with massive prizes. Considered a day of peace. 24: King’s Day. A day to honor Kings throughout the North. Originally a day to honor the Emperor of the Old Empire, it has become a day to just kind of celebrate the Kings. Redania turns King’s Day into a weeklong festival. Sun’s Height 10: Merchant’s Festival. Every show owner traditionally lowers their prices by half. Novigrod and Waterdeep turn it into a weeklong festival that culminates on the 10th (which functions kind of like Black Friday). 20: Sun’s Rest. On this day, all stores are closed for the holiday. Temples, Taverns and government institutions are still open, but many choose to devote this day to relaxation, not commerce. 29: Fiery Night. A holiday observed by the Veil. Last Seed 02: Day of the Maiden Katricia. Celebrated in Lyria to celebrate the warrior who saved them from a Giant centuries before the Old Empire. 11: Feast of the Wolves. A large feast celebrated in the northern reaches of the Nine Kingdoms. Wolf furs are traditionally worn by nobility on this day. 21: Appreciation Day. A holiday devoted to appreciating and honoring one’s parents. 27: Harvest’s End. Another harvest-related holiday, though more solemn than the previous two. Hearthfire 01: The Rites of Morida. Exclusively an Arendell holiday where rites to become a druid are undergone. 06: Khurat. A holiday carried over from the Calendar of Harptos. On this date, scholars are accepted into varying priesthoods. Those without children pray for clergical benevolence on this date. 12: Riglametha. A celebration of the graces the gods have granted to the people of the north. Especially if they answered a prayer offered on Hogithum. This is a smaller holiday and usually involves leaving an offering at a temple (or a Heartwood, a pyre, etc). 14: The Burning of King Olaf is celebrated in Redania. 19: Children’s Day. Frost Fall 05: Hammer Day. A day honoring blacksmiths and metalworkers. It is traditional to hang a horseshoe over the entrance to your home on this day. 13: Witches’ Festival. A day when sorcery and religion clash. 23: Broken Diamonds. The day on which Emperor Kintya II was killed in Glenpoint. 31: Tales and Tallows. A celebration of Necromancy and spirits. Many citizens fear this day and avoid the streets. In Arendell, Poviss and Redania, however, citizens in smaller communities gather in town halls and party through the night, wearing masks and costumes. Sweets and cakes are traditionally consumed on this holiday. Sun’s Dusk 02: The Gauntlet. 03: Serpant’s Dance. A patently old festival believed to have originated in Scandivar, though the significance has been lost. 08: Moon Festival. A holiday celebrating the ancient gods of the moon. 20: Warriors Festival. Throughout the Nine Kingdoms, armorers and blacksmiths sell their products at half price. Tournaments are often held and the parties are legendary; taverns offer free drink to any with a weapon. 27: Thanksgiving. A large feast held in order to give thanks for all one has been given and to celebrate a good harvest. Evening Star 15: North Wind’s Prayer. A prayer much like the South Wind’s Prayer, asking for grace and protection to get through the winter. 24: Yule. An ancient holiday honoring the Yule season. Trees with decorations are traditionally set up in most homes and gifts are exchanged. 25: New Life Festival. Festival celebrating the new year. Only in Waterdeep. 31: Old Life Festival. A celebration of the death of the Great Wyrm Artax at the hands of the First Ironheart King.